SALT LAKE CITY — Thousands celebrated the 4th annual Indian food fair in Liberty Park on Saturday. It was an event to give people a glimpse of Indian food and culture in Utah.
It’s like a piece of home in Utah for people who are far away from their home country. It showcased many aspects of what makes India so special, all in one place. It’s a diverse country, where every state has its own language, style of dressing and food, so this event gave participants a little sample of all of that.
“It’s just like a breath of fresh air to see everything from home and all that,” said Ishika Sutar, one of the performers at the event.
“The U.S. is all about people from different countries, so I guess the best country to show your culture is the U.S.,” said Shweta Bhagwat with Chaat stories, who brought a taste of her Maharashtrian culture by making Indian street food, or chaat.
More than 14 food vendors from all over the Salt Lake Valley had food from different parts of India: biriyani, chole batura, idli and vada, rasgulla, mango lassi, samosas, and so much more.
“India is about dance, food and feelings, so that’s what we are providing here,” said Bhagwat.
And on stage, people showcased Indian music and dance in a special way.
“When I started, there weren’t very many dancers out here, doing what we do, but it’s grown so much,” said Anjali Sutar. She has been dancing for years at different programs in Utah and is glad to showcase the culture this way.
Dancers brought Bollywood moves and different dance styles to the stage. There were also stalls with people selling jewelry and clothes, and doing henna.
“Everyone should show their culture, and obviously, it feels good,” said Bhagwat.
